Royal Quest
by BobR
Summary: In which Ayeka's lost and Ryoko is nominated to hunt for her, over Tenchi's objections.
1. Princess in Peril

Disclaimer

Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  I don't own any rights to them.  Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.

*****

Royal Quest

Chapter 1

Princess in Peril

*****

The small scoutship sank rapidly through Earth's atmosphere.   Totally stealthed, it couldn't be seen by any Earth technology, but its pilot knew that there were others on the planet who would have no difficulty tracking him so he was cautious enough to come down over the vast empty stretches of the South Pacific ocean.  Bringing the ship to a hover scant feet above the waves, he pointed the nose of his craft roughly north by northeast and entered a set of coordinates into the flight computer.  The atmospheric engines engaged and the craft sped off towards its target at Mach 5.  Confident now that the person he was trying to hide from wouldn't be looking this low or in this direction, he relaxed back in the acceleration chair and gave a low, evil laugh.  "I'm coming Ryoko.  You and that Princess owe me and I'm coming to collect…"  He gripped the armrests of his chair with his hands, one flesh and the other metal and his eyes glinted with insanity.

*****

Washu's head snapped up from where she'd fallen asleep on a console.  A bit of drool clung to the corner of her mouth and she wiped it away with the back of her hand.  The quiet buzzing that had startled her awake drew her attention to another machine across the room.  She slipped off her floating cushion and almost fell as she found her left leg all tingly from being in an odd position.  _Damn, _ she thought.  _I've gotta stop following experiments all the way through without rest.  Even a goddess as cute as me needs a good night's sleep occasionally. _  She limped across the floor on her dead leg, bending over to try to massage some blood flow back into it.

Reaching the complaining machine, Washu turned off the alarm and switched on a screen.  Rows of data flowed past.  A click of a button and the data became a graph.  "Space junk," the scientist mumbled.  "I wish they'd tell me when they were going to bring that crap down, waking me up from a sound sleep…"  She turned the machine off and went back to her cushion.  "Now, where was I…?"

*****

The scoutship approached the southern coast of Japan and the pilot slowed it to a relative crawl; while still invisible to radar and the naked eye, a sonic boom would certainly have drawn the attention of the local authorities and maybe even those who's attention he was trying to avoid.  He wasn't worried about the locals; his ship, even as small and underarmed as it was by galactic standards, was more than capable of taking on anything in the Terran arsenal.  No, the locals weren't the problem.  The problem was that he knew of at least three, and possibly four, powerful starships based at his destination.  He was no match for any of them and he knew it.

*****

Princess Ayeka, First Crown Princess and future Empress of the Juraian Star Empire made her way up to the ancient shrine in the predawn darkness.  Normally she wasn't up this early but a feeling that something was about to happen had woke her.  As she lay trying to go back to sleep with Ryoko snoring gently in her ear, she'd though about her brother and decided to talk to him about her premonition.  Ayeka knew that he was usually up well before dawn for his morning devotions and to prepare the shrine for the coming day, she also knew that Washu was in the middle of an experiment, thus unlikely to have spent the night with her brother, so she wasn't afraid of interrupting the two at an awkward moment.

Ayeka paused halfway up and looked out over the small valley that had become her home.  The sun was just beginning to rise in the east, making the small lake start to glow with a golden light.  _Beautiful, _ she thought.  She turned and continued up the stairs.

*****

_TENCHI!  RYOKO! _The mental shout ripped through the mind of the sleeping pirate.__

Ryoko jumped out of bed, the sheet pooling around her feet as it fell to the floor.  Something or someone had called her.  She looked around the darkened room, her feral eyes not missing anything.  Tenchi lay in the bed moaning in a restless sleep, Ayeka was nowhere to be seen, not unusual lately.  She'd been getting up early off and on for the last month or so.  She'd been quiet about it but Ryoko always knew when Ayeka or Tenchi left.  The ex-pirate reached out with her mind.  She tasted Tenchi's thoughts.  Whatever had woken her up had disturbed him too but he'd had a long, tiring day yesterday, working in the fields and training with his grandfather.  He was out of it for a couple more hours at least.  

She tried to touch Ayeka.  Her mental bond with the princess was still iffy, even after all these years.  Usually Ryoko could sense surface thoughts though.  This time there was nothing.  This didn't bother her, it wasn't unusual for her not to be able to reach Ayeka.  But still…

_Washu? _ Ryoko called.  She sensed her mother waking at her touch.

_Yeah? _ Washu responded groggily.  _What is it? _

_Can you find Ayeka for me? _ Ryoko asked.

Washu sensed the turmoil in her daughter's mind.  _Is something wrong?  Did you and Ayeka have another fight? _

_No, no, _ Ryoko disagreed.  _Nothing like that.  In fact we had a very pleasant evening. _

_Ah, _ Washu chuckled mentally and Ryoko sensed the images flickering through her mother's mind.

_All three of us _ Ryoko fumed.  An entirely different set of pictures suddenly flowed past.  _Geez Washu, get it together. _

_Ok, ok.  Just kidding.  Maybe she's with Sasami, she got in a bit late last night.  Must've been a hot date.  _  Ryoko sensed her mother working with one of her machines.  Then Washu's powerful mind reached out on a level that Ryoko could only just sense.

Washu's probing mind found Sasami, and while the younger princess wasn't alone, her companion most certainly wasn't Ayeka.  _Um.  No, she's not with her sister.  In fact, I wouldn't go into the onsen for a while, it seems that Sasami… sorry, _Tsunami_, brought a guest home last night.  Huh.  She knows she's not supposed to take anyone up there; they might start asking questions. _

Ryoko sighed.  _Why is it that she's Sasami when she's around us, but Tsunami when she's acting like an adult? _

Washu shrugged mentally.  _I guess it's just easier to think of her that way.  I mean our Sasami would never do what Tsunami's doing right…  Oh my! _  Ryoko felt Washu's mental blush and she knew whatever was happening in the onsen was something even her mother's admittedly jaded sensibilities found embarrassing.

_Ahem, _ Washu cleared he mental throat.  _Wow!  Interesting.  I wonder where she learned how… Nevermind, I keep forgetting she's _Juraian_.  Well, enough of that, back to Ayeka.  I can trace her movement from your room, out of the house and up the shrine steps.  She must have been going to visit her brother but the trail ends just before the top of the stairs. _

_Ends? _ Ryoko wondered.

_Yeah, as in stops, disappears, halts, terminates…  ends. _ Washu explained.

The cyan haired pirate was puzzled.  _Weird.  I wonder why…? _

_Who knows, _the scientist shrugged mentally.  _Maybe she's finally learned to teleport. _

Ryoko snorted.  _Get real Washu.   _ She felt Tenchi move under her hand at the small sound.  _But you can't find her anywhere around here. _

_Hey, _ the little scientist countered defensively.  _I never said she's have good aim.  And her demon side definitely has the potential.  Why don't you have Ryo-ohki ask Ay-ohki where she is if it's bothering you so much? _

Ryoko's face lit up.  _Great idea.  Thanks. _

It turned out that the princess's cabbit couldn't find his master either and was just as, if not more so, worried about her as Ryoko was.  _Tell him to calm down, _ she told Ryo-ohki.  _I'm sure nothing bad's happened to her.  We'll find her; she probably just went for a walk and has fallen asleep somewhere. _

*****

Ayeka opened her eyes in a darkened room.  No, not a room.  A compartment, she thought.  In the dim light she could make out the metallic walls no more than two or three feet away in any direction.  The last thing the princess remembered was reaching the top of the stairs and starting to fall, nothing afterwards at all.  She had no headache, no fuzzyness in her head, no physical effects of what had knocked her out at all.  She didn't even feel any bruising although she knew she must've fallen hard.  She tried to sit up but found she was restrained, her hands and feet tied to the narrow bunk she was laying on.

"Don't struggle Princess," came a vaguely familiar voice over a small speaker.  "I assure you it won't do any good and I really don't want you to injure yourself.  Damaged merchandise isn't worth as much to me."

"Who are you?  What do you want with me?"  She knew she'd heard that voice before, but not often enough to put a face to it.

"I didn't think you'd remember me, but that's really unimportant now.  I'd also advise you not to try to use the Juraian power you have.  The results would be very painful.

Ayeka had been about to do just that but now she realized that a small device was attached to her head where her tiara usually rested.  It didn't matter, she had another power she could use, potentially even stronger that the power of the Jurai Royal Family.  She began to summon it and her cheeks and forehead began to glow.  A shooting pain ran through her skull and the demon markings on her face faded back to near invisibility as she gasped in distress.

The voice chuckled evilly.  "I know about _that_ power too; I've done my homework this time, unlike the last time we met.  The device that inhibits the Power of Jurai is also a good luck charm."

"I demand you tell me who you are!" Ayeka ordered imperiously.  "Why are you doing this?  What could you possibly hope to gain from kidnapping me?  Ryoko and Tenchi will hunt you to the ends of the Universe."

"From you, I gain nothing but an exceedingly large fee and the feeling of finally accomplishing something I set out to do long ago.  I'm not at all concerned with the boy, your husband, even as powerful as he's rumored to be.  But I'm counting on Ryoko finding us.  After a merry chase though, I don't want to appear too eager."

"She'll kill you," Ayeka said with satisfaction

The voice laughed.  "She thinks she's done that already, but I proved stronger than even I suspected."

Sparks flew from the princess's eyes.  "WHO ARE YOU?"

"I see this conversation is about at an end.  Goodbye for now, Princess."

Ayeka watched in horror as the walls of the compartment turned mirror-bright.  Time ceased to exist for her as the stasis field formed and built to full power.

*****

"So you're saying that Ayeka's been kidnapped?" Mihoshi asked with wide eyes.  "I should call this in and start an investigation."

"Wait!  Wait a minute," Washu broke in.  "And just what do you think will happen if you do that?"

"Hmmm," the blonde tapped her chin in thought.  "We track down the perp using GP investigative methods and rescue her of course."

Washu shook her head and tried to explain.  "No.  This place starts crawling with GP investigators and Juraian officials.  Sasami is forced to return to Jurai for 'safety' reasons, probably Tenchi, Ryoko and Yosho too.  And Earth is thrust into the center of galactic civilization totally unprepared.  _That's_ what'll happen."

Mihoshi pouted.  "And that's not a good thing, right?"

"No, that's not a good thing," Tenchi emphasized, lifting his head from his hands.  "And it would be all our fault."  Ryoko sat next to him with her arm around him looking as despondent as he did.

The family was gathered in the living room of the Masaki house to discuss the disappearance of Ayeka.  Sasami had been crying and blaming herself because as a goddess now, she should have been aware of what was going on.  Washu, feeling more than a little guilt herself, disagreed; the young man Sasami'd been "entertaining" at the time of the disappearance had been sent home with more than a few stern looks from Tenchi and Katsuhito and very pleasant memories of his evening, but, thanks to Washu, no real idea of just exactly where he'd spent it although the how and with whom was still quite clear.

"Why didn't I hear her call?" Tenchi moaned.  "There must've been something I could've done."

"You didn't hear her because you were sound asleep," Washu explained. "Ryoko heard her, even though she was asleep, because I designed her that way."  This drew a sour look from the pirate.  "Hey, it's true.  You were a prototype supersoldier, remember?  What kind of soldier sleeps through an emergency?"

"A tired one," Ryoko told her mother in a low growl.

"You don't tire easily either."

"Depends on what I've been doing, and with whom."

Washu raised an eyebrow.  "Oh really?  Then I think…"

"I have to go look for her," Tenchi broke in, looking to Ryoko for agreement.  "I'll take Ryo-ohki and…"

"How ya gonna do that?" Ryoko asked.  "You can't control her."  The cabbit miya'd her agreement from the back of the couch.

"Fine," Tenchi stated.  "I'll take Ay-ohki then."

Ryoko shook her cyan mane.  "Same problem, you can't fly either of them well enough.  Sure, you can get into space and maybe even set a course.  But what happens if you have to fight?"

"Can't they fight themselves?"

"On defense, certainly," Washu said.  "But a real offense requires a bit more tactical skill than they have."

"That's right," Ryoko agreed.

Washu snickered. "Oh, like you should talk, Little Miss 'Charge Right In With All Weapons Blazing'.

Sasami, standing near the kitchen door, wishing she were still a little girl and trying to be unobtrusive after being caught in the act, so-to-speak, had heard enough.  She stomped her foot.  "Stop it you two, we're all upset right now but let's stay on the subject.  We need to come up with a way to find my sister."  Ryoko and Washu both closed their mouths without another word.

Juro tugged on Tenchi's sleeve.  "Daddy, is mommy gone forever?" he asked, tears brimming his young eyes.

"No son," the young man replied.  "But we're all tying to figure out how to find her.  Why don't you go play with your sister for a while?"

"Because she always flickers away and then I can't find _her_," the boy told him.  Tenchi looked at Ryoko plaintively.  Ryoko's mind reached out and touched that of her daughter.

"Keiko's out back on the swings," she told Ayeka's son.  "Azaka and Kamidake are playing with her."

"Ok," the boy said, jumping to his feet and wiping his tears away with a sleeve.  "I like it when Kamidake makes me swing.  Azaka doesn't push hard enough though."  He wandered out through the kitchen door, past his Aunt Sasami who patted him on the head as he walked by.

Tenchi groaned and put his head back.  Ryoko stroked his hair to relax him but he still looked beaten.  "What _are_ we gonna do then?  We can't call in the authorities and we can't look for her ourselves."

"Who said we couldn't?" Washu asked innocently.

Tenchi glanced at her.  "But you just said…"

"No," Washu explained with a wry grin.  "I said _you_ couldn't.  Ryoko can though."

"Ryoko…?"  Tenchi looked at his wife. She grinned back.

"Yep," Washu explained.  "Regardless of what I said before, she's the perfect choice.  She can fly Ryo-ohki, generate Lighthawk Wings, even change her appearance."

"I'm going with her," Tenchi stated.

"You're staying here," Washu told him sternly.

"Explain why?"

Washu glanced at her daughter who returned the look impassively.  She turned her attention back to Tenchi.  "The kids need at least one parent here.  Ayeka's already gone and we've just gone over why Ryoko should be the one to go after her.  That leaves you."

"Yeah," Ryoko agreed.  "Besides, you had your fun last year, remember?"

Tenchi grimaced as he recalled his time in the Juraian military.  "I'd hardly call that fun.  And you were there too."

"But Ayeka was always with the kids," Washu said.  "Except for those last few weeks.  And then they were with their grandparents on Jurai."

"So we drop them off on Jurai on the way out," Tenchi stated.

Washu chuckled evilly.  "And then you explain to Azusa that his daughter is missing.  We're back to the beginning again, aren't we?"

Tenchi gave in.  "All right.  I'll stay here.  But if you need help…"

"I'll know where to find you," Ryoko finished.  "But how are you going to get to me?"

Tenchi looked at Mihoshi who gulped and looked around the room at the gathered family.  "I… I suppose.  But I could get in real trouble here," the blonde said.

"There's always Ryu-oh too," Katsuhito broke in.  "Azaka and Kamidake can fly her if we need them too, they did it for 700 years."

"Don't forget Tsunami," Sasami piped in, her normal cheerful demeanor returning now that they had something of a plan and everyone seemed to have forgiven her activities of the previous night.

"All of this is true," Washu said.  "Besides, who ever said Ryoko'd be by herself?  I happen to know the perfect person to help her.  If I can find her.  And if she's available."

"Who…?" Ryoko wondered and then it hit her.  A sly grin spread across her face.  "Ah.  Good idea Washu.  Very good.  And she might even bring you-know-who along.  That could be useful."

"If they're still together.  But I'm not sure if that'd be a plus or not."  Washu got up and started for her lab.  "I'll start looking for her; you can't leave before tomorrow anyway, so that gives you time to say your goodbyes to everyone and spend some time with Tenchi and the kids.  Make the most of it; hopefully this little quest won't take too long, but you never know."

*****

To be continued.

*****

Author's Notes.

Before anyone mentions it, I know the "Ayeka's kidnapped, Ryoko to the rescue" bit has been done almost to death.  I can't guarantee it, but I hope this one will be a bit different.  About the "Sasami in the onsen" bit, she's physically 18 or 19 at this point and assimilated with Tsunami, but still very human (or Juraian it seems), so don't get a hair up your posterior about it.

I want to thank two people while I still remember to: Ministry Agent for suggesting this story line, even though he didn't think it strong enough to follow through with at first; and Meekachu for helping me come up with a title.  Some of her suggestions were quite good.  The title I ended up with, "Royal Quest" is a bit weak and may change at some point, but "Ryoko and Ayeka's Great Adventure" seemed a little much.

As always, comments, suggestions and constructive criticism are gratefully accepted but not solicited.

*****

BobR

2/21/2003


	2. On the Hunt

Disclaimer

Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  I don't own any rights to them.  Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.

*****

Royal Quest

Chapter 2

On the Hunt

*****

Late in the evening, Ryoko and Tenchi wandered into Washu's lab.  Although walking hand-in-hand, they both looked like they had just lost their best friend, which in effect, they had.  Ayeka had been missing for more than eighteen hours and Ryoko thought the trail might be growing cold but Washu kept assuring them both that this wasn't the case.  Something about Ayeka's disappearance just didn't sit well with the scientist.  Something was missing, besides the princess that is.

"Any luck, Washu?" asked Ryoko in a subdued voice.

"Luck?" replied the red head.  "Luck has nothing to do with it, it's all skill.  But to answer your question, no, not yet."

Tenchi sat on one of Washu's floating cushions, still holding his wife's hand in a grip that would have caused most other beings to wince.  It just made Ryoko smile.  "Are you sure you can get a hold of her?" he asked.  "And will she help us?"

Washu cackled gleefully.  "Absolutely, on both counts.  It's just that…"  There was a sudden hiss of a carrier wave from one of the myriad machines and a holographic form appeared before them.  "See," Washu whispered.  "I told you guys I could do it."

The beautiful tattooed face, framed by long, white hair, half hidden under a hooded cloak broke into a rare smile when it saw who was calling.  "Ah, my Lady Washu.  And Ryoko!  It's been, what, two years?"

"More like five for us," Washu said.

"Right, right" the other woman nodded.  "I keep forgetting about the time rate differences.  Speaking of which, did…"

"Oh yeah," Washu said with a grin.  "I'm a grandma.  Again.  She's a great kid, quite a handful.  Takes after her mom."  The scientist looked at her daughter out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll have come to meet her sometime," the pale woman snickered, eyeing Ryoko herself.

"Maybe sooner than you think.  That's why I called, we need your help."  Washu went on to explain the situation to the other woman.

The tall woman's eyes sparkled under her hood but the expression on her face remained serious.  "Hmm.  I see.  I'll do what I can of course, but I really don't know how much help I can be.  All my information sources are here, and my Ayeka's not missing."

"It's not your sources we're interested in, it's your techniques."  Washu patted her daughter on a slender shoulder.  "Ryoko here's going after them, but she tends to shoot first and ask questions later."

"Washu!" exclaimed Tenchi simultaneously with a loud "Mom!" from Ryoko.

Washu shrugged.  "No offense, but that's the way you are dear.  We need someone with a level head, someone not so close to the problem."  She turned her attention back to the hologram, which was smirking evilly.

"And so you thought of me.  I'm flattered."  The cloak fluttered slightly as the woman bowed.

"Will you help us?" Tenchi asked plaintively.

The woman's expression softened.  "Yeah, sure.  It'll be a break from what I'm doing now."

"Is you-know-who still around?" Ryoko wondered.

A shake of the head caused the white hair to bounce within the hood.  "Not at the moment; in fact, I haven't seen her in a couple of months.  She's been off adventuring with that little red headed friend of hers and her crew.  Why, do you think we'll need her?"

"Oh goddess, I hope not," exclaimed Ryoko with a wince.  "But it might be handy to keep her in reserve, sort of a secret weapon ya know."

The other woman held up a familiar device with two buttons.  "I think we can safely say that won't be a problem.  When would you like me to be ready?"

"As soon as possible," said Washu with a grin.  Tenchi and Ryoko voiced their agreement.

The tall woman bent down and scooped up a small buff colored animal which let out a startled "Chow!" and dropped the carrot it was munching on.  "How about now?"

Washu laughed and flipped a switch.  The lighting dimmed for a moment and a loud hum filled the room.  "Damn, have to look into that," the scientist muttered to herself.  "Something must be wearing out in the Hopper."  Out of a blue box standing alone in a corner stepped the woman they had just been talking to; the animal she'd picked up was now sitting calmly on her shoulder.

"A bit of a rough ride this time," she said as she walked unsteadily up to them.  She held out her hand.  "Tenchi, good to see you again."  

The young man slid off the cushion and took the offered hand.  "You too.  I never did get to thank you for your help last time."

The woman blushed and turned to Ryoko next.  "And Ryoko."  She gave the pirate, who was also blushing deeply, a quick hug."

"Nagi," replied Ryoko, returning the gesture.

"Chowr," said the cabbit, looking Ryoko in the eye.

"Oh yeah," said the pirate with a smile.  "A pleasure to see you too, Ken-ohki.  Ryo-ohki and Ay-ohki are upstairs with the children.  I think there's carrots involved."

The cabbit jumped down from his master's shoulder and bounded off out of the lab in a rush, making everyone chuckle in amusement.

"Well, shall we join them?" asked Washu, indicating the direction the cabbit had taken.

"You two go on," Ryoko told Tenchi and Nagi.  "I need t' talk to Washu alone for a minute."

"Ryoko…" started Tenchi.

"Just for a moment Tenchi."  She shooed him off.

When the two had left, Washu turned to her daughter.  "All right, what do you want now?  And what's the big secret?"

"No secret, not really," Ryoko explained.  "But the idea of keeping someone in reserve got me thinking."

Washu snorted.  "You?  Thinking?" she teased.  "What's the universe coming to?"

"Hey!" Ryoko exclaimed, half seriously.  "That's not nice.  Besides, you haven't heard my plan yet."

Washu crossed her arms under her breasts and gave her daughter a look that said this had better be good. "All right, all right.  Lay it on me."

"Well, what I was thinking is what if…"

*****

Tenchi and Nagi passed Sasami coming into the house.  The younger princess greeted them both then promised to have tea and snacks ready in a few minutes.  Nagi just stared after the retreating girl as she disappeared into her kitchen domain.  Tenchi caught the look and chuckled.

"I guess she's really changed since you last saw her," he said.

Nagi shook her head in disbelief.  "Changed is putting it mildly.  Our Sasami's grown some, but not _that_ much.  She's almost a woman now."

"More than you could possibly know," Tenchi said cryptically as he too looked back at the now closed kitchen door.  The two continued out onto the deck where Tenchi was forced to explain _all_ of the events of the past few days.

"Washu caught her doing _what_?" gasped an astonished hunter as Tenchi told her about Sasami/Tsunami's misadventure in the onsen.  "On second thought, don't repeat it, the image is one I don't want to see again."

"Yeah, she'll always be little Sasami to me too," said Tenchi, sitting down on the edge of the wooden planking and leaning back with his hands behind his head.  "It seems that Tsunami's led a pretty sheltered life and now that they're one they both want to experience everything to the fullest."

The two children and small herd of cabbits were playing in the yard under the close supervision of Mihoshi.  Ryo-ohki and Ay-ohki were remaining in their animal forms so that Ken-ohki, who had no humanoid form, could join the game.  They all seemed to be playing some sort of tag.  Mihoshi appeared to be enjoying the game as much as the kids were although she seemed to be about done in from all of the running around.  When Tenchi and Nagi stepped outside, Mihoshi gratefully handed over responsibility to Tenchi.  The blonde GP then collapsed on the deck and was almost immediately asleep.  Nagi chuckled.

"She's really good with them," Tenchi explained.  "She enjoys watching the kids, we usually don't even have to ask, she just offers."

"Probably because her mental level's the same as theirs," snickered the bounty hunter.

"_Your_ Mihoshi maybe, _ours_ is a bit more with it."

"Yeah, so I've noticed."  Nagi saw the look on Tenchi's face.  "No, really," she said defensively.  "I believe you, I do."  She sat down on the edge of the deck and looked out at the children.

"That little gem is Keiko," Tenchi proudly pointed out his daughter to the bounty hunter. The little girl promptly teleported over when she heard her name.

Nagi chuckled.  "I see what Washu meant."

Keiko tugged on Tenchi's sleeve.  "Daddy, who is this lady?  Does Ken-ohki belong to her?"

Nagi frowned. "How did you know his name?" she leaned forward and asked the little girl.

"He told me.  He's a nice cabbit, but not the same as ours."

"He…told…you?" Nagi wondered, not really believing the little girl.  Ryoko must have mentioned them at some point and the child remembered.  That had to be the answer.

"Yeah," agreed the girl.

Even Tenchi was astonished.  "Keiko," he asked his daughter.  "Can you talk to the other cabbits too?  Not in Japanese, I mean like you do with Ken-ohki, with your mind?"

"No daddy, just Ken-ohki."  She teleported back to the fun.

Nagi and Tenchi looked at each other, the same thought passing through their minds.  "How strange…"

*****

Ayeka watched in horror as the walls of the compartment turned mirror-bright, then the brightness faded and she blinked.  What had happened, she wondered.  Did something go wrong?

"All right Princess," came that teasingly familiar voice.  "It's been three days since you disappeared.  I would guess that Ryoko's hot on our trail by now."

Three days?   No wonder stasis generators were restricted technology.  When she'd woken up from cold sleep all those years ago she'd been vaguely aware of the passage of time, although it had had little effect on her.  But stasis…  There was no feeling of time passing at all and that was scary.  She struggled a little against her bonds, which now made no sense to her.  Why didn't he just keep her in stasis?

"Who are you?  What do you want?" she growled.

"Tut, tut, princess," said the voice.  "We've been through all this before.  Who I am is unimportant.  I want my revenge on Ryoko, and the money my employer is paying me to bring you to him of course."

"Why not just leave me in stasis?" she called to the empty room.  "Wouldn't it be easier for you?"

"Easier for _you_, you mean.  No, we need to leave a trail for your erstwhile spouse to follow."

Ayeka felt some of the mental pressure subside and she tentatively reached out with her mind and felt no resulting pain.  She knew that this was what her captor had meant by 'leaving a trail', but right now she didn't care.  Her psychic contact with Tenchi and Ryoko was shaky and only worked over short distances, but perhaps there was someone who could hear her.

*****

Ay-ohki, in humanoid form, rushed into Ken-ohki's control room and grabbed Ryoko's arm.  "Ayeka," he said, and pointed in a direction slightly away from their current course.

Ryoko looked down at him and frowned.  "You can sense her?" she asked.

The cabbit-boy nodded and pointed again.  "Yes.  Sense her.  There.  Long way but not too long.  Two, maybe three days; less if go fast."

"Is she hurt?" Nagi asked, ordering Ken-ohki to change course and increase speed.

"Not hurt, not scared.  Just… anxious?" the other cabbit replied.

Ryoko closed her eyes and concentrated.  She sent her powerful mind questing in the direction Ay-ohki had indicated.  There!  She could feel something, someone, out there.  And it felt like Ayeka's mind but the contact was too weak to be certain.  It did feel as though whoever was out there was trying to tell her something.  She reopened her golden eyes and concern for the princess was showing all over her face.  "All right," she told the cabbit.  "I sense something too, and I think it's her.  Well go check it out."  Nagi nodded her agreement.

"Rroww," said Ay-ohki, the relief evident in his tone.

"Chowww," answered the Ken-ohki crystals around the room, the face of the buff-colored cabbit appearing in them as he applied even more power to the engines.

*****

"Well, that should be enough for now."  As the voice said this Ayeka felt the mental pressure return, along with the pain as she tried desperately to contact Ay-ohki.  She didn't know if she'd succeeded or not, but for a fleeting moment she thought she'd felt Ryoko's touch and she'd tried to warn the ex-pirate of the trap she was heading into.

"Back in your cocoon," the voice said.  The walls around Ayeka started to silver over again.

*****

"Damn it, I've lost her," muttered Ryoko as she felt her tenuous contact fade.  She gave Ay-ohki's hand a reassuring squeeze.  "Don't worry, well find her, it'll just be a little longer."

The cabbit wasn't worried.  He knew his mate's partner cared for the princess almost as much as he did.  Ryoko would find Ayeka, he was sure of it.  And then the two of them, and this other strong woman, Ken-ohki's partner, would deal properly, if not terminally, with whoever was responsible.  And he was going to enjoy every moment of it.

*****

Ken-ohki exited hyperspace and assumed orbit above a dreary looking little world.

"Why're we stopping?" Ryoko asked Nagi.

"Because this world is directly on our quarry's last known course," the bounty hunter said, not looking away from the screen.  "He may have stopped here for a bit.  He may even have changed course here."  She read the data on the planet her cabbit supplied.  "In my Reality this world is called Yergati and is a Juraian Accord signatory."

Ryoko beckoned Ryo-ohki over and the cabbit agreeably popped into a crystal form, a small screen appearing before her master.  Ryoko started to read.  "My data says that Yergati's a Free Trader world, that's 'smuggler' in most languages."  Nagi chuckled at this and Ryoko continued.  "It's located in an open zone between the Juraian Empire and the Faquab Hegemony.  While not exactly at war, the Juraians and the Faquabians aren't exactly friendly either; there've been quite a few border skirmishes over the past few centuries, with some losses by both sides.  Right now it's kinda an armed truce with Yergati right in th' middle."

"Hmm.  I wonder why it hasn't been gobbled up by one side or the other."

Ryoko shrugged.  "Probably 'cause both governments want a neutral place to meet _and_ I'd say that there's some trade between them that passes through here, probably illegal as hell but intentionally overlooked by both sides."

Nagi looked askance at the other woman.  "Ahh…  Right.  My Ryoko never would have known all that."

Ryoko grunted and tapped the Ryo-ohki crystal with a long finger.  "It's all right here in Washu's data, even an evaluation of the current socio-political situation.  I can read it to you if ya want…"

Nagi grimaced painfully.  "No, I'll pass.  Thanks anyway."

"So what do we do now?" Ryoko asked as she dismissed the Ryo-ohki crystal, which turned back into a cabbit and scampered off.

"We go dirtside and start asking questions. But we don't have a lot of time to waste, so we go right to the information source."

*****

The grubby looking Port Master looked up from his terminal as two cloaked and hooded figures entered his cramped office. He cast an appreciative eye over both of them as they shook off the ever-present raindrops.  He was a bit disappointed when they elected not to doff their hoods though; he couldn't make an accurate judgment of their looks without seeing their faces, but the bodies under the cloaks certainly looked humanoid enough; very, very humanoid. 

"Can I help you ladies?" he asked, giving them what he considered his most gracious smile.  Ryoko almost gagged in revulsion and only Nagi's hand on her shoulder stopped her from trying to smack the grotesque expression off the man's face.

"Yes sir," said the bounty hunter in a sweet tone.  "We'd like to inquire about a ship that may have stopped here about seventy hours ago."

The man behind the cluttered desk scratched his double chin.  "A ship you say?  A lot of ships pass through here.  I'm going to need more information than that."  He held out his open hand in a gesture that both women fully understood.

"Juraian Government business," Ryoko growled as she slapped the hand away.

The man's eyes glinted with amusement.  "Juraian Government?  The Juraian's have no pull here.  This is an unallied world."

"Perhaps the name 'Ryoko' would mean something then?" Nagi said as she pretended to inspect the filthy ceiling.  She got the reaction she expected.

The little man tilted his head back and roared with laughter.  "Ryoko is a common name amongst Free Traders and Space Pirates nowadays, ever since the original Demon Pirate Ryoko disappeared."  He shrugged, still snickering a bit.  "I guess it's supposed to strike fear into whoever hears it, but it's really just a joke.  There are so many 'Ryokos' around that I could point my finger in any direction and probably hit one.  The original Ryoko must be rolling in her grave, may her soul rot."  He held out his hand again.  "If you ladies have nothing better to offer then I'll have to ask you to leave."

Nagi felt her companion stiffen at the man's words; and knowing how her own Ryoko would take such an insult, she took a step back and waited for the fun to begin.

"Excuse me," the ex-pirate said in a deceptively mild tone.  "There seems to be a misunderstanding here."  She threw back her hood and shook out her flowing cyan hair.  Her golden, feral eyes held barely suppressed anger.  "To paraphrase a famous Terran, the stories of my demise have been greatly exaggerated."  A ball of orange plasma appeared in her right hand and she squeezed it, forming her energy blade.  The Port Master's eyes crossed as the glowing weapon came to a stop just in front of his face.

"We weren't asking about _a_ Ryoko, I _am_ Ryoko, the Demon Space Pirate.  I'm back, I want information, and I want it _now_, please."  Energy sword lightly touched fleshy nose and a sizzling sound was heard, along with a whiff scorched flesh.  The man tried to back away, but because of the size of the office, he was already against the wall.  He began to whimper in fright.  Ryoko shortened her blade and moved closer to the man until her face was so near his that the scent of fear was almost overwhelming her.  "Little man, I'm _not_ in a good mood, and you aren't improving it any." She waved the now dagger-sized blade slowly back and forth before his eyes.  She was beginning to enjoy herself; she'd almost forgotten the headiness that another's fear caused her.

Nagi saw that Ryoko was successfully holding her temper in check, but looked like she was way too into the game for comfort so she stepped back up to the desk.  She flipped a couple of gold coins from hand to hand.  "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way," she said.  "But either way, we're going to get what we want."

The man nodded almost imperceptibly, his eyes never leaving Ryoko's blade.  "Easy," he squeaked.  "I like easy."

Nagi smiled wickedly.  "Good choice.  But if we don't like what we hear, I'll turn Ryoko loose on you, one little bit at a time."  The ex-pirate grinned evilly, showing a goodly amount of fang.

*****

An hour later, back in Ken-ohki's control room the two women were pouring over the data modules the Port Master had given them.

"Just what're we looking for?" Ryoko asked, rubbing her eyes as the tiny print flowed past on the reader's screen.

"I'm not sure yet," Nagi replied.  "But I'll know it when I see it."

The two sat in silence for a while as the data scrolled by.

"Would you really've let me kill him?" Ryoko wondered.

"Would you really have done it?" countered Nagi with a half smirk.

Ryoko paused then shook her head with a rueful smile.  "Nah, I gave up being a cold-blooded killer a long time ago.  I might've maimed him a bit more though."

Nagi chuckled and went back to reading the flowing text.  "I thought as much.  You're a domestic now, a wife and mother.  My Ryoko wouldn't have thought twice."

Ryoko's eyes grew big.  "She would've killed him?"

"No, she was never a murderer.  A bank robber, blackmailer, thug and con artist, yes indeed.  And she has no qualms about killing, but never without a good reason.  Rather like me in that regard, eh?  Maybe that's why I like her so much."  Nagi paused the reader and pointed to an entry.  "There, I think this is it.  Scout-class, stopped for fuel and supplies.  Only one person, the pilot, was declared, but the fuel curve is just about right for our boy, as are his engine's neutrino emissions.  No ship's name listed, but that's not unusual.  No destination either.  But they do show his exit vector and speed."  She bopped one of the Ken-ohki crystals hovering near her.  "Hey partner, looks like we've picked up the trail again.  Let's go.  This way."  Her finger traced an arc on the displayed star map.

"Chowr!" replied the ship as he engaged his engines and moved off along the indicated course.  

A minute later there was a flash of light as he entered hyperspace, a flash easily visible on orbiting sensors.  Down on the planet a small greasy man heaved a sigh of relief, then reached across his cluttered desk and picked up what appeared to be an ordinary phone but was actually the receiver of an interstellar com unit.  He punched in a number and waited for the other end to pick up.  "They just left," he said.

"They?  Well I suppose it makes little difference.  I hope you didn't make it too easy for them," the person at the other end replied.

The little man rubbed the bandaged tip of his nose with a splinted finger.  "No, it wasn't too easy.  But next time I'd appreciate it if you told me whom I was going to be dealing with.  If I'd known it was Ryoko, I would've charged more.  I thought she was long dead."  

There was a chuckle from the other person.  "Then it's good I don't pay you to think, isn't it?"

The Port Master hung up angrily.  At least the money he was getting made it all worthwhile, and the two gold coins tucked safely in his pocket were an extra bonus.  He patted them covetously through the thin material then painfully shifted his leg, the full cast making movement difficult.  He reached for another painkiller.

*****

To be continued.

*****

Author's Notes

Umm.  Sorry for the wait, but my brain seems to be in no real hurry to get this one out.  I'll try to work faster next time.

*****

Review Responses

Akemi Akibi – Argh!  How could you forget?  You're on my notify list.  You must not have been keeping up.

Dennisud – I hope you're right about the kidnapper.  A catty character?  I have no idea who you mean.  Really.  If you mean Ka'dithy then maybe.  I have plans for her, but probably not in this story unless I go totally off on a tangent somehow.

Smack54 – Potential?  I hope so, otherwise this is all in vain.

Meekachu – Yeah, Bill and Ted popped into my head too.  Let's see… Royal Quest the candybar (lots of nuts of course); Royal Quest the action figures (fully poseable in _all_ sorts of ways); Royal Quest the flamethrower…  And now we're back to Spaceballs again, aren't we?

Ministry Agent – Overqualified?  You?  Never!

Davisfan – Sasami's been sufficiently chastised (and embarrassed) for now.  At least she knows enough not to get caught again, but I could see Azusa blowing his top although her mothers might be a bit more understanding, they were with Ayeka (although no one read _that_ story…)

Wharpt – Right again about the _ant_agonist.  _Pro_tagonist is the hero.  

Goddesses don't need protection; they have complete control, consciously and subconsciously, of their biological processes.

Vsdefender –  I think you'll find that this isn't a "Ryoko rescues Ayeka" story after all.  Just wait and see.

A Reader – Although you probably won't read this, I'll still handle your comment.  I'm sorry you didn't like what I did with Sasami, but if the characters don't grow and mature both physically and mentally then we just start repeating the same situations over and over.  How many different ways do you need to see Tenchi choose Ryoko (or Ayeka for that matter)?  Why must Sasami always remain a child who does nothing but cook?  Why does Mihoshi always _have_ to crash her shuttle into the lake or house?  Think about it, that's all I ask.  You don't have to like my writing or characterizations; there are many other, many _better_, stories to choose from.  Although I use the same basic plot (Tenchi/Ryoko/Ayeka), I try to put them into different situations in each story and build upon their relationship.  The same should be done for the other characters as well.  My only concern is that I find so little for Azaka, Kamidake and Noboyuki to do.

Sorry, I _do_ value your opinion (as I do everyone's) and didn't mean to rant like that.

Alighthawk – Not a wild as Ryoko eh?  No, probably not, but Ryoko's been a big influence on Sasami for the past few years.  

No villains from the manga here, but I might bring in a character (or two) from that Reality in a later chapter.

Dragonbard – It's not the demonic powers that need negating, a good luck charm handles that easily enough, it's the Jurai power.  And yes, one of your guesses developed a machine to do just that and it fell into (or was rediscovered by) the wrong hands.

Thundergod – Yes, you are a Ryoko person.  Nothing wrong with that, I rather favor her myself even though it's not what I write about.

Negative-Z – Blunt?  Blunt??  Me?  Hardly.  Oops, sorry, you are absolutely correct my good sir; but I'm trying, I really am.  The medication helps.

Nutzoide – Actually, what I have planned twist-wise should suffice to make this pretty original, or at least sufficiently different.

Priest – Yep, still here and still pecking away at the keyboard.

*****

BobR

3/17/2003


	3. Caught

Disclaimer

Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  I don't own any rights to them.  Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.

*****

Royal Quest

Chapter 3

Caught

*****

In space, no one can hear you scream.  And screaming was exactly what Ryoko felt like doing at the moment.  The two intrepid rescuers had pursued Ayeka's kidnapper for the better part of a month, often just missing him at this planet or that spacestation.  It seemed that he was taking them on a guided tour of the Faquab Hegemony as he bounced back and forth between its borders.  Occasionally Ay-ohki would sense Ayeka and they would be off in a new direction.  More often Nagi, or Ryoko, got the information they needed from some seedy character in a spaceport.  Their quarry led them around like a dog on a leash and Ryoko, not to mention Nagi, grew more and more frustrated.  This had led to a couple of somewhat violent confrontations with persons one or the other had felt were withholding information.  Fortunately no one had been seriously hurt, or at least not seriously enough to spend more than a few days hospitalized.

Just now though, they were once again closing in on their objective.  For the past few hours Ken-ohki had been able to keep the other ship just within range of his scanners.

"He's got to be running out of places to go," mumbled Nagi as Ken-ohki executed yet another course change, the third one in the last two hours.

Ryoko rubbed her tired eyes with the palms of her hands and sighed.  "He's up to something, I just don't know what.  This can't go on much longer."  She sagged back in the contour chair Nagi's ship had extruded for her.  "Tenchi's probably beside himself, worrying about us."

*****

Tenchi looked up from the field he was working in and checked the position of the sun.  It was almost lunchtime.  He wondered what Sasami, no Tsunami, would fix for him today. He set his hoe down and went over to sit in the shade of some trees that skirted the edge of the field.  He'd take a short rest before lunch, that way he'd enjoy it all the more.  As he sat down on the soft grass, he wondered just where his wives were, if they were all right and if Ryoko had even caught up to the kidnapper yet.  He knew that when she did, there was nothing that would save him from her wrath, except possibly Nagi or Ayeka herself.  That was one of the reasons that Washu had insisted that the bounty hunter accompany Ryoko, as a sort of governor for the pirate.  They'd be all right though, he knew it deep down inside.  But if anything _were_ to happen… Washu be damned, he _was_ going to go after the culprits himself and nothing was going to get in his way.  _Nothing_.

He hadn't even realized that he'd dozed off, but a slight rustle in the underbrush made him open his eyes and sit up.  It must be Sasami…  Tsunami,_ Tsunami_, he reminded himself again, with lunch.  He and the younger princess had had many talks over the noon meal lately.  Sometimes about Ayeka and Ryoko but mostly about how much she'd grown and what might be expected of her now.  She now understood why her actions that night might be considered wrong and Tenchi explained to her about growing up and needing to suppress the urges it brought.  She'd giggled at this and asked him if that had been a problem for him.  This had made him laugh uproariously and he told the young princess that she now understood what he'd been going through before he married.

But it wasn't Tsunami bringing his lunch to him today; it was Mai, his father's girlfriend.  Ever since Ryoko had left to rescue Ayeka, the woman had been spending more time at the Masaki home, ostensibly to help with the kids but Tenchi suspected she had other reasons as well, such as spending more time with Noboyuki and the family.  

The slender, well-built woman with graying purple hair handed him his lunchbox.  "Here you go Tenchi.  Sasami's sorry she couldn't bring it herself, but she was helping Washu with an experiment and couldn't get away.  Don't worry about the kids though, your grandfather's got them up at the shrine until nap time."

Tenchi nodded and gratefully accepted the box, patting the ground next to him.  "Won't you join me?  Tsunami always makes plenty for two."

The woman brushed some loose leaves away and sat down.  "Sasami, Tsunami…  I just can't get used to the change in her."

Tenchi nodded in agreement as he carefully opened the box.  "Yeah, it's hard.  She can't really understand it either.  What were you like when you went through that stage?"

The woman frowned.  "I… I never went through that. Or if I did, I don't remember it.  I grew up in a very controlled environment."

Tenchi eyed her quizzically.  "Can I ask you a question?  And get a straight answer?"

Mai flinched. "Sure, I guess."

"Are you human?" he asked, no emotion at all in his voice.

Mai's face went blank then took on a hurt expression.  "Yes Tenchi.  I'm as human as you.  But if you're asking if I'm from here, then no, I'm as alien as Ayeka or Sasami.  Possibly more so."

Tenchi nodded and offered her the box.  He'd suspected as much for quite a while.  He knew Ryoko did also, ever since they'd first met her a few years before, during Ayeka's pregnancy.

"That doesn't bother you?" the woman asked, ignoring the proffered lunch.

"Should it?" Tenchi replied, offering the box again.  "Look at me, I'm married to an alien princess and a biological android space pirate."

Mai nodded.  "I see.  So something like this won't shock you."  Mai concentrated and her right hand began to glow with a dim bluish light.  The glow quickly faded and Tenchi grinned at her until she finally smiled back and began poking about in the lunchbox looking for something tasty.  "Someday I'll have to tell you my story," she said, picking up a slice of dried fish.  "But it still hurts to much, even after all these years.  And I really do love your father, Tenchi.  I really do."

"I know you do," the young man said.  "And he'd be lost without you too."

The two ate in silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts.

"You really miss them, don't you?" Mai asked, startling Tenchi out of his reverie.

"Wha…?  Oh, yes I do.  I've never had both of them gone at the same time for this long before."  Tenchi looked up at the blue sky as strands of clouds floated past.  "When I was in the Juraian military for those few months, even though they weren't with me, I always knew where they were and that they were safe."  He shook his head sadly.  "But now…  Well, Mihoshi tries to keep track, but all she gets are second-hand reports."

"Can't Washu track them?" the woman wondered.  "She claims to be a goddess."

Tenchi snorted with suppressed laughter.  "Oh she is, but she doesn't much like being reminded of it.  I don't think she's the all-knowing type of deity anyway, although she likes to pretend sometimes.  She's been caught off guard more than once."

Mai raised an eyebrow.  "Not omniscient, huh?  But she could still…"

"I suppose she could, if she wanted to," Tenchi agreed with a shrug.  "She seems to have great faith in Ryoko's abilities though."

"And you don't?" Mai asked.

Tenchi began picking up the meal scraps and putting them back in the box.  "I do.  But Ryoko can be hotheaded, that's why Washu brought Nagi through.  Although the more I think about it, the more I'm not sure it was such a good idea.  Nagi and Ryoko are too much alike; Nagi just has a bit more experience in these matters.  And Ayeka…"  Tenchi bowed his head.

The older woman reached out and squeezed the young man's shoulder in sympathy.  "They'll be back Tenchi.  And soon.  I can feel it."

*****

Yesterday, ship's time, they'd actually gotten close enough to the kidnapper's vessel to get a glimpse of its dark shape.  But it seemed that no matter how fast Nagi pushed Ken-ohki, the small scout ship was always just a tiny bit faster.  Frustrated, Ryoko had left Nagi in the cabbit's control room and threw herself into the comfortable bunk that Ken-ohki had provided for her.  Ay-ohki and Ryo-ohki curled up together at her feet but neither of them had managed to do more than fitfully doze.  Ryoko had stared gloomily to the plain ceiling of her cabin, missing Tenchi and wondering how Ayeka was faring at the hands of her captor.  She assumed the princess was all right since Ay-ohki hadn't indicated anything else.  Her eyes drifted shut and she managed to get a few hours of uneasy rest.

A softly buzzing alarm woke Ryoko from her troubled sleep.  The ex-pirate, instantly awake as always, levitated out of her bed and teleported to Ken-ohki's control cabin.  Nagi was sitting hunched over in the command chair, staring at a map on one of the many screens the cabbit was displaying.  The hunter pointed a slender finger at a glowing dot on the screen.  "He's headed for that small moon."  Ryoko opened her mouth to respond then quickly closed it again knowing anything she said would be cliché.  The bounty hunter smacked her fist into the palm of her hand.  "We've got him."

*****

Ayeka took a deep breath as the silver glow of the stasis field flickered and faded once again, instant on, instant off.  She had absolutely no feel for how much time she'd spent in stasis; it might have been just a few minutes… or a few hundred years.  "Why do you keep doing this?" she called to her unseen captor.  There was no reply this time.  She felt the restraints release and she sat up.  Whatever was blocking the Jurai power was still in place and as long as she was wearing the headband she couldn't use her other power either.  She reached up to remove it but found that some sort of capture field limited the range of movement of her arms.

The door to her compartment slid silently open and the lights dimmed.  Outside the hatch she could barely make out what seemed to be some sort of office.  _At last, _ she thought.  _Maybe I'll finally find out what's going on. _  She stood up and stumbled out of the compartment on wobbly legs.

*****

Nagi landed Ken-ohki near what appeared to be an entrance to an underground facility, not far from where their quarry had finally gone to ground.  The scoutship was nowhere to be seen and Nagi assumed that it had entered the facility somehow.  The two would have to walk to the entrance since it was obvious to them they weren't going to be allowed in wherever the other ship had gone.  The readings on the external instruments showed that the atmosphere was breathable, if thin.  Not that it would have mattered to Ryoko or the cabbits if it had been a poisonous gas or even vacuum, but Nagi was, for all intents and purposes, human and needed to breathe. And if she could do so without the need for a suit or environmental field, then so much the better.

As the two approached the portal a pedestal extended itself from the ground, the glowing outline of a handprint clearly visible in the bright light.  Nagi used some sort of scanning device on it but got no readings.  Ryoko, never one to approach a problem cautiously, placed her hand in the outline and the hatch slid silently open.  Nagi and Ryoko stood and looked at each other for a moment.

"Don't you find it odd that your palm print opened the hatch?" Nagi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ryoko just shrugged.  "A bit, but stranger things have happened."  She phased into her battlesuit and levitated a few inches.  "Let's go."  The ex-pirate moved through the opening.

*****

Ryoko floated through the seemingly endless maze of dim passages as Nagi strode along beside her.  Ryo-ohki and Ay-ohki rode along on Ryoko's shoulders, the white cabbit's whiskers twitching excitedly as he sought out his master.  Ken-ohki bounced along behind them, occasionally stopping to poke a curious nose into interesting looking dark places, then scurrying to catch up.

"My scanner doesn't detect any electrical or mechanical activity," said Nagi, pointing a small device in various directions as she moved along.  "Just this weak glow from the ceiling panels."

"I can't _feel_ anything either," replied the ex-pirate as she readjusted her enhanced senses yet again.  She wrinkled her nose as a sour odor impinged upon her nostrils.  "Smells like something died down here though, a long time ago.  Or maybe we're getting close and it's just Ayeka's socks."

"Are you sure she's down here?" the bounty hunter asked with a chuckle.  "We should have picked something up by now."

By way of answer Ryoko pointed to Ay-ohki who was becoming extremely agitated.  Nagi nodded in understanding.  The group paused at a cross corridor until Ay-ohki's questing muzzle indicated a left turn.  "Are you sure?" Ryoko asked him, giving the cabbit a quick scritch between the ears as she eyed the dimly lit passage with suspicion.  He miya'd agreement.  Ryoko shrugged.  "All right then, we go that way."  Ryo-ohki poked her in the ear with a paw.  "What?" the pirate admonished as she batted the appendage away.

"Miya," replied the brown cabbit.

"Oh, you want a scratch too?  Now's not the time for this you little twit.  Besides, you're just dead weight on this trip."

"Miya!" the cabbit disagreed, reminding her partner of the data Washu had uploaded into her memory.

Ryoko sighed in exasperation and Nagi chuckled as the cyan haired one scratched her companion under the chin.  "There, happy?"  The cabbit purred with pleasure.  "Can we go now?"  Ryo-ohki closed her eyes.  Whatever Ryoko decided was fine with her.  "Great, I'm glad you approve," said the pirate wryly.  She floated off down the left hand passage, Nagi following a few paces behind.

Neither of the women noticed the slight movement of a tile under Nagi's boot as they moved off.  The small procession had progressed about a hundred meters down the new path when Ryoko suddenly let out a curse and hit the floor with a thud.  The two cabbits tumbled off their perches and ended up a few meters further along passage.  Ken-ohki rushed past his master and Ryoko to see if they were all right.

"What happened?" asked Nagi, helping the slightly dinged Ryoko to her feet.

Ryoko brushed some dust off her battlesuit and grunted.  "I don't know.  Suddenly I couldn't fly anymore."  She tried to levitate but her feet remained firmly planted.  "Something's very odd…"  Next she tried to teleport but nothing happened.  "Very, very odd…"  Her fist clenched as she willed a plasma ball to form.  There was a tiny puff of smoke then nothing.  "Nagi, I think we're in trouble…"

The bounty hunter pulled her energy pistol out.  As is cleared the holster she noticed that the power indicator light wasn't lit.  "Whatever it is, it's suppressing my weapons too."

"We're in trouble," Ryoko muttered.  Nagi growled and pulled a slender blade from her boot.  Whatever was affecting their power sources wouldn't bother good old-fashioned steel.

The walls and ceiling around them began to glow with a bluish light.  Ryoko's inhuman hearing heard the vibration before her body felt it.  "Stunner!" she cried.  "Nagi, run!"  She whirled just in time to see the other woman crumple to the ground, knife clattering on the floor tiles.  Ryoko took a step and fell to her knees; the last thing that passed through the ex-pirate's mind as unconsciousness claimed her was "Damn, I screwed up again".

The three cabbits, sitting just outside of the trap area, watched as the two girls fell to the floor.  Unable to reach them without being caught themselves, Ay-ohki made a decision.  "Rowrn," he said to his mate.

Ryo-ohki mulled this over for a moment.  "Miyowr," she finally agreed.  They both looked at Ken-ohki.  

The buff colored cabbit appeared to shrug. "Chowr," he said.

The three turned and scampered off in search of the one person they felt could possibly rescue the rescuers.

*****

The door closed behind Ayeka and she stood quietly in the dim light allowing her eyes to adjust to the gloom.  "Come in my dear Princess, have a seat."  The voice came from a shadowed figure she could just make out at the far end of the room.  It was not the voice of her captor.  Ayeka made her way across the carpeted floor, her stride becoming surer with each step.  She reached a dark lump that stood in her way and a quick touch confirmed it was a cushioned chair.  She sat.  A dim yellow light snapped on above the other person and the princess could see that whoever it was, was seated behind some sort of desk or console.  Unfortunately he was facing away from her and still mostly in shadow so she couldn't get a good look at him.

"I suppose you're wondering why you're here?" the figure asked in a slightly high-pitched voice. 

"The thought had crossed my mind," she replied.  There was something…  something happening just beyond the reach of her senses, not quite entirely blocked by whatever was holding her power in check.  The man rotated to face her, breaking her concentration.  He was grossly fat, the dim yellow light glinting off his hairless head.  He smiled at the princess, revealing a row of pointed teeth that marked him as not-quite Juraian or Human.

Ayeka looked at the fat man seated before her.  He looked vaguely familiar but she just couldn't place him, much like the voice of her unseen captor.  All he needed was a white feline in his lap, she thought, and he'd be the perfect stereotype of a Terran bad guy.  Tearing her gaze away for a moment, she looked around the room and in the semi-darkness could spot no one but him.  She focused her attention back on the lone figure surrounded by the dim light.  "So, you're the one behind all of this?  What are your reasons for having me brought here?"

The man chuckled, not a pleasant sound at all.  "Always royalty; always making demands.  Surely it must be obvious to the future Empress of Jurai."

Ayeka snorted.  "There are many possible reasons.  Ransom?  My husband is not a rich man."

The man shook his head.  "No, I suppose not. But your father certainly is.  And just how much do you estimate he would pay to get you back, hmm?  But that's irrelevant; I'm not after money, at least not from your family.  Do you have any idea where you are?"

The princess gestured expansively.  "Not on Earth, obviously.  Or Jurai.  But I suppose it really doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does my dear princess, it does," the fat man replied with a gleam in his eye.  "You're on a secure moon deep in the Faquab Hegemony."

Ayeka stared at him blankly.

Ayeka's "host" had expected more of a reaction from her.  The man leaned forward and put both elbows on the desk.  He looked the princess in the eye trying to judge her emotions.  "Come on Princess.  The Faquab Hegemony.  Surely you know about them."

Ayeka leaned back in her chair and smiled, it was not the response the man had hoped to see.  "Indeed," she said.  "But why should that bother me?  Jurai isn't on friendly terms with them but they wouldn't stoop so low as to hold a member of Juraian royalty hostage.  It would be an act of war."

Her questioner raised an almost non-existent eyebrow.  "Correct.  But I never said they _knew_ about your abduction, now did I?"

Ayeka's eyes widened as realization hit her.  "You're trying to start an _interstellar war_?  And I suppose that while the fighting goes on, your _organization_ plays off of both sides."

The other person chuckled evilly.  "Heh, heh, heh.  You're very sharp, as befits a future politician; I can see you understand now.  But I mean you no real harm, you're too valuable, so I might as well make you comfortable."  He snapped his fingers and Ayeka could suddenly move her arms more than just a few inches.  She tentatively reached up and touched the circlet on her head.

The fat man saw the gesture and nodded in affirmation.  "You may take it off if you wish, this entire installation is covered by a dampener so your Jurai power won't work anywhere within it."

She noticed that he didn't mention her _other_ power and she hoped it wasn't intentional.  From the way he'd dismissed the headband, either he didn't know or didn't believe; and that might just be his first, and last, mistake.  Ayeka tore the device from her head and tossed it away as if it was burning her.  It hit the floor with a soft rasp and rolled away.  As the circlet disappeared into the darkness she felt a spark start to grow within her, but it was still too weak to use.

The other chuckled at her apparent relief.  "Now princess, if you will allow one of my associates to show you to your quarters?"  A door slid open behind her and a large, muscular woman stepped through.  She gestured for Ayeka to follow.  The man behind the desk stood up, it didn't make him all that much taller.  "We are not uncivilized out here in the middle of nowhere, I think you'll find your rooms to your liking."  The princess stood and bowed formally to her jailer, then did as she was bid.  Her time would come.  Soon.  Even as she left the room she felt her anger and fear feeding the ember within her.

*****

To be continued

*****

Author's Notes

It's been a while since I've updated and I'm sorry, I have no real excuse (actually I do but it won't fly with this crew).  I'll try to be quicker with the next part.

In the part where Ryoko said that Tenchi was beside himself I had envisioned the female Tenchi putting in an appearance.  But it was not to be, I couldn't work it into the plot; and besides, I wanted a bit of a teaser there for another fic I'm planning.

*****

Review Responses

Smack54 – Aside from the little cameos and teasers, Tenchi's pretty much out of this story.  And it's not _Ryoko_ our erstwhile kidnapper has to worry about now.

Dennisud – I was going to bring Naga back for this one (I still might), but as of right now I don't really need her for anything.  Well, actually I do, she's the only one who has one of Thundergod's little pets handy and I promised him they'd make an appearance here.

Wharpt – Misaki and Funaho eh?  Not a bad idea, I like using them (if you hadn't noticed in my other stories).

Nutzoide – The Keiko bit's just another teaser and has no real relevance to this story.  There may be a character or two from a different series making a guest appearance, perhaps Naga the Serpent and _friend_.  Ka'dithy won't be in this but you're right, she's too good a character to let drop.  I'll be doing a bit of setup in this for a later fic with her in it.  If you hadn't noticed, _Ministry Agent_ used the t'Dnal in a passing reference in Lock, Stock and Three Soja Gems.

Alighthawk – Better late than…  well you know.  You need to write faster; even I'm beating you now.

Blackbird – I forgive you.  The Ayeka story will get a second "chapter", but it'll be about Sasami.  Sorry to hear about your story, I know how discouraging it is when you lose a goodly amount of work like that.

Priest – I should hope it fits; it's all one long continuous story (with rather large time gaps).  We don't see you around much anymore so it's nice to hear from you again.

To the person who's anonymous review I removed – Usually I don't do that (in fact this is a first), but yours was really inane.  Perhaps if you'd tell me why it was bad, and which other fic you also thought was so horrible, I can improve my writing.  I don't mind bad comments and reviews as long as they're constructive.  Just putting (and I quote) "anther bad one" (sic) doesn't tell me much.  Try again.

*****

BobR

4/30/2003


	4. Demon

Disclaimer

Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  I don't own any rights to them.  Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.

*****

Royal Quest

Chapter 4

Demon

*****

Ayeka lay in the opulently appointed bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.  She had to admit, the rooms were comfortable, but comfortable or not, they were still a prison and she was well aware of it.  She sighed and rolled over, looking yearningly at the door she knew was locked and guarded.  The princess knew that Ryoko had pursued her, after all, that was half of why she was taken in the first place.  She wondered exactly where the pirate was though; surely she'd made it here by now.  Thinking pleasant thoughts about the rescue she knew was imminent, Ayeka drifted off to sleep.

But the dreams she had were far from pleasant.  She dreamt that she and someone else, someone she couldn't quite make out, were being dragged through the corridors of the base.  She tried to fight but she couldn't move, she couldn't focus herself enough to summon any power.  And through it all was a sense of failure, a sense that her mission here would go unfulfilled.  And that she would never see the loves of her life again.  Her husband, her other mate and her children…

Her children. 

Ayeka's eyes snapped open and she found herself in a tangle of blankets, drenched in sweat.  She groaned and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed.  She held her head with her hands for a moment, trying to stem the headache she found herself with, then stood up and made her way into the bathroom.  She took a long drink of water and it seemed to help a bit, but she wished for something a bit stronger.  Perhaps some of that excellent sake that Ryoko thought she kept hidden from everyone else.  Ryoko.  The Demon of Jurai who really wasn't much of a demon at all.  

The princess looked at her reflection in the mirror and thought about home.  She thought about Tenchi and their son, Juro; she remembered Ryoko's daughter, Keiko.  The knot of ethereal fire inside her burned brighter with each memory.  What had been a glowing ember suddenly burst into flame.  The Ayeka that looked back at her from the mirror snarled, baring an impressive set of fangs.  Markings, almost unnoticeable unless one knew where to look, now showed plainly on her forehead and cheeks.  The eyes; the eyes were the worst part.  Her normally red pupils now glowed with an inner light and the both eyes burned bright red.

The Ayeka-demon raised her fist and shattered the mirror, then looked at her cut and bloody hands; and she laughed.  Blood.  Blood and vengeance, that was what she desired.  With a tiny bit of her power she healed herself and then moved back into the other room.  She sneered at the furnishings.  What need had one such as she for these things?  A wave of her hand reduced everything to ash and she laughed.  She looked down at her dressing robes.  These wouldn't do at all for one of her power.  With a thought the gown turned to powder and drifted to the floor leaving a little pile of dust around her feet.  The Ayeka-demon stood there and thought for a moment.  Ah, just the thing.  Garments formed out of thin air and covered her nakedness.  They seemed to be of a soft, supple leather so black as to appear almost blue, and consisted of a knee-length skirt slit up one side to the hip and a one-shoulder halter style top.  On her hands was a set of fingerless gloves.  She ran those hands over herself and sighed with pleasure at the limitless feeling of power that surged through her.   But she had a job to do before she could indulge herself.

There was a small scratching sound at the door and the demon turned her attention to it.  A thought tore the door out of its frame and embedded its twisted remains in the opposite wall.  There was no sigh of her guard, but two small creatures stared back at her from the doorway.  She summoned power to dispose of them but stopped before she released it.  She reached out with her mind to the white one and with a growl, it flew to her right shoulder, it's eyes now glowing as red as hers.  Two demons looked down at the remaining animal.  It's eyes began to glow as well, but green instead of red.  "Miya!" it cried as it jumped to the Ayeka-demon's bare left shoulder.  Three demons stepped out into the passageway, intent on vengeance.

The princess' guard had finally managed to corner the small, buff colored animal that had led it on such a merry chase.  Holding the struggling beast by its long, fuzzy ears, she made her way back to her post outside the locked door of the princess' prison.  Rounding the last corner she was unexpectedly face-to-face with her charge.  But there was something different about the princess, and it wasn't just the revealing clothing.  She stared for a moment and three sets of glowing eyes stared back.  The Ayeka-demon snarled and the two lesser demons on her shoulders echoed her.  Something was definitely wrong here; the guard dropped her captive and went for her stunner.  She never finished her motion.  

The Ayeka-demon stepped over the remains of the remains of the other woman, not paying any attention to the foul smell or the blood now coating the walls.  Behind her, Ken-ohki wrinkled his nose at the stench of burned flesh, then scampered after the others.  He didn't know what had happened to them, but it was probably best if he kept them in sight while remaining unobtrusive.  He sensed no malice in them toward him, but it was better safe than sorry.

*****

Small sounds penetrating her hearing were what alerted Ryoko that she was aware again.  Before she opened her eyes, she used her other enhanced senses to explore the room.  She heard Nagi breathing not too far away and the evenness of the sound told her that the hunter was still out.  She heard the whisper of air gently circulating through the ventilation and the slight musty smell that reached her nose told her that the room was seldom used.  Another wafting odor, one of old machine oil and overstressed metal also told her that it was probably some sort of storage area for old equipment.  This was good; the room probably wasn't designed as a cell.  

Ryoko tried to move but found that she was held helplessly immobile, unable to do anything except turn her head and wiggle her fingers and toes.  She risked opening her eyes, a sure sign to her captors that she was awake and alert.  She found herself, and Nagi, stuck to a wall, held in some sort of force field.  She waited a moment to see if anyone noticed that she was once again among the living and when nothing happened she whispered to the bounty hunter, "Hey Nagi…  you awake over there?"

The hunter's eyelids twitched.  Ryoko tried again, a bit louder.  "Nagi, wake up."

Nagi opened her eyes and groaned.  "Did anyone catch the registration number of that shuttle?"

Ryoko snorted.  "That line was old before I was even an electron in Washu's design computer.  Listen, I'm sorry I got you into this and I'm sorry I got us trapped."

"Not your fault," Nagi said as she used a mental technique she'd learned long ago to bring her headache under control.  "Something tells me that this was the goal all along."

The door hissed open.  "A very astute observation," said the man who walked into the room.  "I don't know who you are, and like Ryoko said, I'm truly sorry you got caught up in all of this, but you're in it too deeply now to just let go.  No, I'm afraid you and Ryoko here will share the same fate."  He smiled.  "Although yours will be quicker, I promise."

Ryoko peered at the newcomer; he seemed vaguely familiar somehow.  Then she remembered but didn't let the fact that she'd recognized their captor show.  The man saw her looking at him and laughed.  "So now you know why I led you here," he sneered.

"Um, nope," said the ex-pirate in her best Mihoshi imitation.  "Why don't you enlighten us?"

The man held up his artificial arm.  "Remember now?" he asked.

"No.  Give me another clue."

The man sighed.  "Very well.  The planet Yzantra, your honeymoon, the Ayeka kidnap plot…"

Ryoko finally allowed her golden eyes to light up in recognition.  "Oh yeah, I remember now.  You're the GP turncoat I killed, Kangaroo or something."

"Kintara," the man yelled.  "My name's Kintara.  And you didn't kill me."  He waved his prosthesis around in front of her face.

"I didn't?" Ryoko asked, her eyes crossing and uncrossing as they tried to follow the madly waving appendage.  "That's not how I remember it."

The man was getting angry, just the effect Ryoko was hoping for, because angry people make mistakes and without her powers she needed every advantage.  "Then you remember wrong," Kintara snarled.  "You tried to kill me, but you were distracted and I was able to block your cut.  I lost my arm instead of my head."

"Sorry.  I promise to do better next time."

"NEXT TIME?" The man was almost purple with rage.  "For you, there will be no 'next time'.  It's my turn now."  He took a step forward and almost touched noses with the ex-pirate, his color returning to almost normal.  "It's my turn now," he repeated quietly.  Ryoko just blinked and swallowed hard.  Perhaps she'd pushed him a bit too far?

*****

Death stalked the corridors of the hidden base, death with three pairs of glowing eyes.   Most residents of the facility that saw or heard her coming managed to survive by staying out of her way.  Those that tried to stop her, or those that weren't quite quick enough, well death was quick; they were reduced to ash and less than ash before they knew they were dead.  This was not an act of cruelty or revenge, because although the demon sought vengeance, she was not really a vengeful demon.  But when she found those that were responsible for bringing her here… that was a different issue.  They would die slowly and painfully.

Reaching the door to the boss's office, the Ayeka-demon paused and knocked politely.  She wasn't really expecting an answer, but forms must be observed after all.  She waited an appropriate amount of time, about two seconds, then touched the portal with her finger.  The door fell inward with a hiss and a thud.  She marched into the office looking neither left nor right, her entire attention focused on the form quivering in fear behind the oversize desk.

"Stay back," the man called out, leveling a blaster at the advancing demon.  "I'll shoot, I swear it."  The Ayeka-demon smiled and continued forward.  The fat man pressed the firing stud and the yellow beam bounced harmlessly off the hand the demon lifted to deflect it.

"Your weapon is useless," the demon sneered.  "I suggest you make your peace with whatever deity you worship, your time here draws to a close."

"Y… you can't kill me.  I treated you fairly," he pleaded.  "I never hurt you!"

The Ayeka-demon laughed.  "Treated me fairly?  You brought me here; you helped create me.  Now suffer the consequences."  A purple energy blade formed in the demon's grip.  She held it steady as she contemplated her next move.  "Where should I start?" she asked.  "Perhaps with a leg.  No, a hand."  She stepped forward and raised the blade.  

The boss wet himself in fear.  The demon paused, reveling in the terror she was causing; the blade flickered out.  "I have a better idea," she said with a wicked smile.  Her hand darted forward and the man screamed in pain and crumpled to the floor, dying eyes looking up at his killer.  The demon, blood coating her arm to the elbow, held her prize up for inspection.  "So, you do have a heart after all.  But one such as you has no need for it."  The still beating organ turned to ash in her hand.  "Welcome to hell," the Ayeka-demon whispered as the life force left the heap at her feet.

*****

Nagi winced as their captor struck the helpless Ryoko again.  Kintara had been beating her for the better part of ten minutes and Ryoko was definitely injured.  Bruises were forming on various parts of her body and the bounty hunter thought she'd heard a rib crack once or twice.

"Not such a hot shot without your power, are you Ryoko?" Kintara taunted as he launched a blow into Ryoko's midriff.  

Ryoko grunted then ran her tongue along her split lips. She spit a glob of blood at the man and missed.  "You can do better than this, can't you?" she gasped in defiance. "Even the princess hits harder than you do."  

This enraged Kintara more and he aimed a fist at her face.  Unable to dodge, Ryoko felt her nose break as the blow landed.  When the room stopped spinning she noticed that her tormenter had injured his hand when he struck her.  She forced a laugh through her pain.  Kintara kicked her in the crotch then pressed a button on the device hanging from his belt.  Ryoko was suddenly free, but injured and without strength she fell to the floor.  The last thing she saw was Kintara's heavy boot aiming at the side of her head.

There was a noise in the corridor and Nagi looked up as the door to the storeroom burst open.  The glowing-eyed figure standing in the opening snarled something the hunter didn't understand.  Kintara stood up from where he was kneeling over Ryoko's motionless form and glanced back at the commotion.  The scent of fresh blood and burnt flesh wafted into the small room.

"NO!" the kidnapper howled as he recognized what had once been his captive.  "Those fools!  They let her remove the charm…"  He dove out of the way as the demonic vision released a blast of energy at him.  Kintara managed to dodge in time, and the energy hit the wall behind the body of the space pirate, bringing it down on top of the girl in a heap of rubble.  The kidnapper ducked out of the ruined doorway and disappeared down the corridor.  The Ayeka-demon howled in frustration and gave chase.

Nagi, free of the restraining field with the collapse of the wall, knelt down and started to dig through the debris to help the badly injured Ryoko.  Ken-ohki hopped up beside her and gave her what little help he could.  Another set of paws soon joined them and Nagi glanced down and found Ryo-ohki, eyes now back to their normal golden color, digging furiously away.

Kintara cursed his boss; he cursed Ryoko; but most especially he cursed Ayeka, First Crown Princess and future Empress of Jurai.  Although, as scared as he was, he did find some pleasure in the situation; he doubted that she would ever become Empress now, not once the general Juraian public found out just what she was.  He paused to catch his breath, leaning against a wall with his head down.  Maybe he'd managed to outrun her.  Maybe she was still back in the storeroom digging that other bitch out of the ruins of the wall.  He heard soft, measured footsteps approaching.  Maybe he was wrong and maybe he should keep moving.  He began to run deeper into the complex.

The Ayeka-demon knew her prey was still running, but she was beginning to enjoy the hunt.  Like all demons, she fed off the fear of others and this was a tasty morsel indeed.  She'd catch him; she knew that. But there was no reason let it end too quickly.  She followed the fear-scent of the other and reveled in her power.

The trio digging in the ruins of the storeroom had managed to uncover Ryoko.  She didn't look too badly damaged but Nagi couldn't find any sign of respiration or pulse.  The hunter was very familiar with death and she knew it was too late to save Ryoko, she'd been buried too long before they got to her.  With a sad shake of her head she stood up. "C'mon you two," she said to the cabbits.  "There's nothing more we can do here.  Let's go find the princess and see if we can get her back to something like normal."  She scooped up Ken-ohki and went out the door.

Ryo-ohki took one last sniff at her partner's body then scampered after the others.  She didn't know what Nagi was so concerned about; everything would be all right.  It always was.

The demon smiled as the hunt drew to a close.  Hunter and prey were now in a distant part of the complex, surrounded by the machinery that powered the place and controlled all it's systems.  A stray thought flashed through the Ayeka-demon's mind, a human thought.  _It always ends like this in those scary movies, but usually it's the pretty young girl that's doing the hiding.  I rather like this turnabout… _  She moved forward on almost silent feet, the lesser-demon perched on her shoulder hissing quietly as they drew closer to their victim.

Kintara heard his stalker moving closer to his hiding place.  Although she was still several yards away and behind a control panel, he jumped out and scurried for a new hiding place.  The demon heard the small sound and released an energy blast in his direction.  It missed him, but that was all right, she didn't really want to kill him that quickly anyway.  But the energy release didn't miss a large metal vessel that was protected by a force field.  Bouncing off the force field, the bolt sizzled into a nearby control panel.  A horn began sounding.  In the distance the Ayeka-demon could hear a computer voice announcing something.  She paid no attention to it; the hunt was drawing to a close.  She fired another bolt that sizzled into the distance and fried another piece of machinery.  This bolt couldn't have been better aimed if she'd done it intentionally; the machine it destroyed was the main unit of the power dampener.  The Ayeka-demon felt her power surge to a new level as her Jurai power returned and joined with her demonic energy.

Nagi was startled when the complex's main computer began to speak,  *Magnetic containment failure in thirty minutes.  Automatic shutdown disabled.  Failsafes inoperative.  Fusion bottle temperature rising. *  The hunter swore under her breath and increased her pace.  She didn't know the actual layout of the base, but she had a pretty good idea of where to find Ayeka now.

*Magnetic containment failure in twenty-one minutes.  Fusion bottle temperature approaching critical, * the computer said as Nagi paused outside the door to the power room.  This was where it was all coming together, either she would fulfill her commission and bring Ayeka home, or they would all die.  She entered the room.

The demon had finally cornered her prey.  With a grin that showed her fangs, she moved towards him.  "Now you die," hissed the being that used to be Ayeka.  She grabbed the cowering man by the throat.  "I should kill you slowly and painfully," the demon said.  "But there is something I must do, something calls to me and I must return to it."  She began to slowly squeeze.  

*Magnetic containment failure in twenty-one minutes.  Fusion bottle temperature now critical. *

Nagi rounded a large chunk of machinery that wouldn't have looked out of place in Washu's lab and came upon the Ayeka-demon and her victim.  She stopped dead in her tracks.  Ryo-ohki bumped into her leg then peered around the obstacle ate the tableau before her.  Ayeka had Kintara by the neck and was holding him several inches off the ground, no mean feat when it was obvious that he out massed her by at least a third and was at least eight inches taller than her.  Ryo-ohki sat and watched.

Kintara beat at her arms with his flesh and blood hand.  When that had no effect, he switched to his prosthetic one.  This too had little effect on the slowly tightening hands at his throat.  His eyes looked around for something, anything to help, and found… Nagi.  The hunter locked her gaze with his and smiled evilly.

Kintara's vision started to go and everything took on a reddish tinge.  "Princess," he managed to croak.  "You're not a killer, stop."

The demon laughed.  "The Ayeka you knew is no more.  I am her rage, all her pent up anger and frustration given form.  Little man, you made me, now suffer for your arrogance."  She increased the pressure and smiled as her slender, delicate fingers felt bones start to give way under her supernatural strength.  The kidnapper's vision faded to black and a moment later he stopped struggling altogether.  The Ayeka-demon kept up the pressure until there was an audible and satisfying 'SNAP', then she released her grip.  Kintara's body fell to the ground with a thud, his head at an unnatural angle, his eyes wide open and staring at the oblivion that had finally claimed him.

The demon turned away and moved towards the door and spotted her audience.  She snarled and started to move past them.

"Ayeka!" Nagi called out, reaching for the other's arm, but afraid to make physical contact.  "Ayeka!  Stop!"

The being that was Ayeka turned and looked at the hunter.  "I know you, you are not my enemy.  But don't try to stop me, I must return to what calls for me."

"I won't stop you, I know what calls to you.  It's Tenchi and your son.  They miss you and want you back.  You and Ryoko."

"Ryoko…" the demon said.  "Yes.  She was here, she came after me."  The Ayeka-demon took a threatening step towards the hunter.  "You, you were her enemy once.  But not her enemy as well.  A friend.  Where is she?  Where is my Ryoko?"

Nagi turned away to hide her expression.  "Dead; when you shot at Kintara back in the storeroom and missed, the wall fell on her."

"Yes…" the glow from the demon's eyes began to fade.  "Yes, I remember.  Ryoko was on the ground, my prey was standing over her…"  The glow in her eyes flickered and was gone.  "RYOKO!" Ayeka cried. "Oh Ryoko, what have I done?" she sobbed.  She remembered everything that had happened, everything she'd done.  The First Crown Princess of Jurai looked down at her bloody hands in horror.

*Magnetic containment failure in twelve minutes. Fusion bottle temperature critical. *

"We have to get out of here," Nagi said, finally grabbing Ayeka and leading her towards the exit.  

"But Ryoko..." cried Ayeka.

"It's too late for her," Nagi yelled, trying to break through the other's grief.  "But it's not too late for us.  Ryoko's gone, do you want Tenchi to lose you too?"

"What does it matter?" sobbed the princess.  "I killed her.  Me.  It's my fault."  But she allowed herself to be led away.  

They reached a large open area among the equipment.  Nagi pulled Ken-ohki from her shoulder.  "What do you think?" she asked the cabbit.  

*Magnetic containment failure in four minutes. Fusion bottle meltdown imminent. *

The buff-colored animal reached deep inside himself and felt the power returning.  "Chow!" he answered.  Nagi tossed him into the center of the room and the transformation started.  While he was changing, Ken-ohki transported the others to his command deck.  Nagi quickly punched a series of commands into the main console.

"Blast us out of here!" she commanded.  The cabbit happily complied, releasing all his energy weapons at the roof of the complex.  

The surface of the moon heaved as a crystalline form fled to the stars.  Behind them there was a sun-bright plume of plasma as the base's powerplant self-destructed.

The bounty hunter watched as the plasma stream faded.  Most of the base seemed to be intact, a tribute to the shielding its builders had used.  But the bases environment was now open to the ultra thin atmosphere of the moon, it's breathable air leaking away.  She didn't know why, but she hoped that most of the facility's occupants had managed to escape.  With a sigh the hunter turned away from the screen and removed a blanket from a storage compartment.  She handed it to the shivering Ayeka.  "Why is it that most places we go end up like this?" Nagi asked with a half smile.  The princess looked up and hesitantly took the offered cover, throwing it about her shoulders and covering the skimpy leather outfit she was still wearing.  Nagi briefly rested a sympathetic hand on Ayeka's shoulder before turning back to Ken-ohki's controls.

"Nagi," Ayeka said quietly.  "We have to go back.  Ryoko's back there, we have to get her."

"It's too late Ayeka, I already told you that," Nagi replied without turning around.

Ayeka looked at the hunter's slender back through tear-filled eyes.  "Too late?  How can that be?  Ryoko is indestructible.  She can regenerate from any wound."

Nagi shook her head while watching the stars move past on the main screen.  "Not this time.  The power dampener was still on, she was as human as I am at the moment."  The hunter finally turned and watched as Ayeka sagged in anguish.  

"I'm so sorry Ryoko.  I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't mean for it to end like this."  Ayeka sobbed into her hands.  "Oh Ryoko.  Please, don't let it end like this.  You're my best and only friend."

Nagi tried to soothe the distraught princess.  "Ayeka," she said quietly, still watching the stars flow by.  "Kintara beat Ryoko badly, very, _very_ badly.  She was probably gone before you even came into the room.  _He_ killed her, not you.  But you took her revenge for her."

Ayeka sniffed and looked up, tear tracks streaking the dried blood that still speckled her face.  "No.  I killed her.  I did; me.  Now Tenchi will hate me and force me away, and I've nowhere left to go.  Look at me; who would want me now?"  

Nagi turned her head and examined Ayeka's face.  Her demon markings and fangs were still plainly visible although she was obviously back to her old self.  The hunter knew at least one person who still wanted her, and probably more.  She turned away, unable to watch as Ayeka broke down in tears once more.  Nagi sighed in despair.  It was going to be a long three-week trip back to Earth, and she didn't envy Ayeka telling Tenchi what had happened.  Once they were in comm. range, she'd call Washu and tell her first, maybe together they could ease the grief.   She looked over at the princess, huddled on the floor, still shivering, with the blanket wrapped about herself.  The two cabbits, Ay-ohki and Ryo-ohki tried to comfort her by rubbing their furry heads against her legs like the cats they so much resembled.  _How odd, _ Nagi thought.  _Ryo-ohki doesn't seem terribly upset at Ryoko's death… _  She shrugged and turned back to the task of setting a course for home.

*****

To be continued…

*****

Author's Notes.

Arrrgh!  This was a hard one to write.  I know I'll probably be lynched but I didn't originally plan to kill off a major character, however, as I developed the outline for this chapter it just seemed to fit.  You may all start throwing rotten fruit now, or flaming me (You bastard Bobr!  You killed Ryoko!), whichever makes you feel better.  Of course, I'm pretty much fireproof in this case (heh!) so maybe the fruit is the better option.  Hmmm… seems to me I've got two or three (if you count Minagi) other Ryoko's to play around with yet in this little multiverse of mine.

*****

Review Responses

Alighthawk – Done?  Who says it's done?  It's got at least one and probably two more chapters to go.

Nutzoide – So Naga's 'friend' intrigues you.  Well, there's only one person it could be and I thought I could use her in this chapter but it didn't work out.  She will be putting in a brief appearance later, along with another special guest star or two.

Blackbird – Sorry I didn't answer you earlier.  Perhaps now you remember them?  Oh…  I read your story.  Maybe I'll write up a review of it for RingPrincess' review site.  You'll get an email from her if I do.

Wharpt – Yeah, I thought about putting it in but it's been over done.  Maybe later…

Vsdefender – Why, who else but Ayeka would the cabbits be looking for?  But I don't think they planned for what actually happened.

Dennisud – I haven't stopped but I have slowed down a bit.  As you can see, it wasn't Tenchi that released his powers…

Diane Long – Thank you for the praise, you have no idea how much it means to me.  Ryoko and Nagi were as prepared as they could be, but they were relying on Ryoko's powers and when she lost them…   I'm sure neither will make the same mistake again.

Priest – Well, Ryoko couldn't step on it, she was floating and the trigger had to be passive otherwise one of them would have detected it.  Sorry to hear you're having problems with your story line(s), I know exactly how that feels – look how long it took me to get this next chapter out.

*****

BobR

6/25/2003


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